LSCS Libraries | Research Guides | LSC-Kingwood Assignment Guides |

ENGL 1301: English for Business Majors - LSC-Kingwood

The best research assignments are those that use a variety of resources including books, newspaper and journal articles, as well as Internet sites. We encourage you to use all of these sources for this paper. Books provide some of the best information for business topics. We hope you will take full advantage of the many resources our libraries offer.

Assignment:

This semester, each student will write a definition paper on a business term, a case study requiring information such as corporate history, and an argument paper on an ethical issue related to business. This guide will help to locate resources for all of these assignments. Books are available in print and electronic format through the library catalog, and articles are located in the research databases. Use this guide for all of your business research needs.

Librarian talk... about Getting Started!

As you begin, narrow your topic to a size that you can manage. Consider keywords that will help you find the information you need. These can be names of people, events, or broader identifying terms. Use these keywords for locating information in the library catalog, electronic databases, and on the Internet.

Sample Keywords: business ethics, benefits, employee pay, customer service, management ethics, accounting regulation, fraud, hiring practices, inventory control and security, regulation of imported goods, as well as other general business topics.

BOOKS

Book cover: The Right Thing by Sally Bibb

Librarian Talk... about Books!

Apply online for a library card. Use your card to:
1. Place a hold on a book.
2. Request a book listed in the catalog but available from another location.
3. Access databases from home.
The catalog is online at Lone Star College-Kingwood Library Catalog
Electronic books or eBooks are available in the Ebook Collection. You will need the barcode number from your Lone Star College ID or library card to read eBooks from off-campus.

Here is a small sampling of books located in the LSC-Kingwood College Library. These and many other good sources of information can be found by searching the library catalog using keywords such as FDA, business management, marketing, journalism or keyword phrases such as hiring practices, energy conservation, illegal immigrants, or business ethics.

Reserve Books

Business Terms and Reference Guide: Everything You Need to Know
Cambridge Business English Dictionary
Dictionary of Business
Dictionary of Finance and Investment Terms
Oxford Dictionary of Finance and Banking
Routledge Dictionary of Economics

Reference Books

Ethics - REF BJ 63 .E54 -Ed. John K. Roth. This three volume set includes articles on business ethics, economics, drug testing, corporate scandal, conflict resolution, computer crime, electronic surveillance and many more topics related to ethical considerations in today's business and electronic age. These topics can be used as keywords in searching the databases as well.
Encyclopedia of Management - REF HD30.15 .E49 - Ed. Marilyn M. Helms. A resource for information on many topics including ethics in business, effectiveness and efficiency, management leaders, intellectual property rights, nepotism, managerial roles, product design and product life-cycle, stress in organizations and more.
Encyclopedia of Advertising -REF HF5803 . A38 - Eds. John McDonough and the Museum of Broadcast Communications, and Karen Egolf from Advertising Age. This more specific 3 volume encyclopedia contains articles on all things to do with advertising including ethics, government regulation, media, and retail advertising.
The Palgrave Macmillan Dictionary of Finance, Investment, and Banking - REF HG 15. B36 - Over 5,000 terms commonly used in business.

Circulating Books

Browse the library catalog to find specific titles of interested. TIP: There are over 1,000 books related to business in the Kingwood Library alone. Browse the book stacks in the "H" area for books on business. Specifically, HA - HJ will give you books on Economics, Transportation, Commerce, Finance, and much more.

Electronic Books

Global Codes of Conduct: an idea whose time has come - Oliver F. Williams ebook is available through the eBook Collection. It discusses ethical rules of conduct in business.
Fair, Square & Legal: safe hiring, managing & firing practices to keep you & your company out of court - KF3457 . W45 - Donald H. Weiss presents labor laws and legislation. Also available as an e-book in eBook Collection.

DATABASES

Skyscraper

Librarian Talk... about Finding Journal, Magazine, and Newspaper Articles!
Electronic databases are purchased by the libraries for your research use. Use them to find articles in newspapers, magazines, journals, letters, reference books, illustrations, photographs and more.
Home access to article databases is available with your library card barcode. If you need assistance finding an article contact the Reference Librarians at the contact information at the bottom of this page.

Use your library card to login to these online journal databases.

More about searching databases (25 sec.)

The following databases contain information on ethics in business, doing business in today's competitive marketplace, and federal rules and regulations concerning business.

Business Source Complete - Provides full text for over 3,500 scholarly business journals covering management, economics, finance, accounting, international business and much more. Updated daily. This resource is very good for finding articles from professional business publications. For example in topic two above, try using the keyword phrases "business ethics" and "employees" and "compensation" to find articles on how corporations treat employees. The database will offer alternative keywords as you search.
Regional Business News - Daily international newswires and regional business publications from more than 80 publications across the United States.
ProQuest Newspapers - Full text of these major newspapers: New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Christian Science Monitor, Houston Chronicle, LA Times, Washington Post
Academic Search Complete - A large multi subject database covering topics like business ethics, Corporate culture, social responsibility of business, conflicts of interest, decision making, values, morals and ethical aspects of management. Choose Full text for complete articles. Limit your articles to Scholarly (Peer Reviewed) if you want professional level journal articles.

This short video (approx. 15 min) on Business Ethics: a 21st Century perspective discusses some of the ethical issues faced in business today. Login with your library card barcode number to watch the video from off campus. It is just one of the videos in Films on Demand which discuss the topic of ethics in the workplace. Films on Demand is a database of more than 6,000 videos on many topics. Ask your librarian for help if needed.

INTERNET

Librarian Talk... about the Internet!

The Internet is a wonderful source of original documents. Browse the sites we have suggested below. Remember to find reputable sites. Look at:

Accuracy - The information should be researched and show proof of that research.
Source - Look at the domain: .edu .gov .org are valid research sources. Your company's website is also a valuable resource.
Authority - What are the author's credentials? Does the author have expertise in the subject area?
Coverage - Does the page have the information you need for your research?
Objectivity - If a work is biased, you may use it, but offer both sides of issues, where applicable.

These Internet sites offer all types of information related to ethics and regulations. Compare statistics and figures from one site to those from others to ensure accuracy. Many companies have home pages on the Internet; keep in mind the objectivity level of these sites. As you search for information on any of the topics, note the date of the site. Some regulations and governance has changed recently.

Business USA - A product of collective thoughts and inputs from the following agencies who have pledged their commitment to making this site a one-stop shop for everything related to business in the USA.
Federal Business Opportunities - This is the government web site which companies use to find jobs to bid on. Because winning a job from the government is a complex task, this web page offers companies information on compliance rules, partner opportunities, vendor regulations and Central Contractor Registration.
Federal Acquisition Regulation - In order to do business with the Federal Government, business must follow these regulations.
National Association of Resource Conservation and Development Councils - This organization supports energy conservation and ethanol use.
Analysis of effectiveness of Alternative fuel vehicles - This is part of a report titled "REPORT TO CONGRESS - Effects of the Alternative Motor Fuels Act CAFE Incentives Policy." For more information on CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) try this FAQ page.
Human Rights Campaign - Information on current federal legislation regarding domestic partner benefits.
Code of Ethics - from the International Business Ethics Institute, this page defines business ethics.
Corporate Ethics - A group of transcripts from a 2002 PBS series about ethics and Wall Street. Includes the Enron scandal, Imclone, WorldCom, and more.
The Business Ethics Network - An organization with the mission of improving the effectiveness of corporate campaigns worldwide in order to make business practices more ethical in terms of the environment, health, social justice, and labor.

OTHER GUIDES OF INTEREST:

Business guides are also available on the following topics: Researching a Company, Business Ethics, and Business Career Related Research. Please refer to these guides and additional assignment guides on business.

SUPPORT: PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

Librarian Talk... about Getting Help!

Support for a successful paper is more than finding the right resources. Putting it all together takes time and effort. Sometimes it takes additional help from the librarians or tutors. Please consider the following aids.

Citing Sources Using the Library MLA Style Guide | LSC - Kingwood Library guide. Examples of both paper and electronic citations.

Avoiding Plagiarism | Excellent information and guide on how to avoid plagiarism from the Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University.

Learning Center | Check our hours for in-house tutoring.

Page created by H. Beggan, Sept. 2012.

Ask Us
Reference: 281.312.1693 Circulation: 281.312.1691	Text-A-Librarian 281.973.4792 Kingwood.LRC-Ref@LoneStar.edu

LSC-Kingwood Library Assignment Guides | About LSC-Kingwood Library | LSCS Libraries